Legacy offers solid features that can help amateur genealogists build an accurate family tree, but its dated interface may turn some users off.

Legacy Family Tree 8.0 is a solid genealogy program that helps you organize your research and even find new sources to fill in gaps in your family tree. Two versions of the program are available: a free standard version and a deluxe version for $29.95 that can be downloaded from the Web or ordered on a CD. The deluxe version offers a number of extras, including a mapping feature, wall charts, and enhanced backups. Both versions include large variety of publications you can create. The interface, though very dated, is admittedly easy enough to use. All in all, it's a solid choice for more serious genealogists and it's comparable with Brother's Keeper, competing software that also excels in organization. If you want to create a family tree without opening your wallet, check out Mocavo, the PCMag Editors' Choice for free genealogy software.

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Set-Up and Interface Whichever version of Legacy Family Tree you opt for, you can also order a 296-page user guide (PDF or printed) and training CDs, for an extra fee. Legacy is compatible with Windows 98 to Windows 8, and it runs on newer Macs running Windows and on Linux machines with a Windows emulator.

Downloading the free version is a snap. All you have to do is supply your contact information and then you can start the installation—no credit card is required, which I like. The installation wizard is fast and simple; you choose settings, such as language and date format, and whether Legacy can automatically open a browser if you conduct a search. The installer warns you not to select this option if you still have a dial-up connection, which is less surprising than it sounds when you consider that the site looks like it was designed when most people still had 56K. You can also link up your FamilySearch account and choose from among six color schemes.

Once you're finished, Legacy offers a lot of customization. You can move toolbars around, change fonts, control formatting, schedule backups, and more. It's easy to use, and you can set it up just as you like, which is important. If you have or get the genealogy bug, chances are you're going to be spending a lot of time inside the interface of your family tree software. You won't be able to get it to look modern, but you will at least be able to make it work the way you want.

Building Family Trees To get started, you can upload GEDCOM files or Personal Ancestral Files. You can also view a sample file, which is helpful. Legacy can even search your hard drive to find GEDCOM files, which is handy if you don't remember where you've saved them. Legacy imported my GEDCOM file quickly, with no issues. Adding new people is easy; you can choose someone already in your tree and add spouses, parents, and siblings. You can also add unlinked individuals, if you're not sure exactly where they fit, and then attach them where they belong later.

The Deluxe version of Legacy offers a number of features to help you stay organized, including Legacy SourceWriter, which helps you correctly cite sources using footnotes, endnotes, and a bibliography. A mapping features plots out the locations of your ancestors, and you can then view 3D and satellite images via Microsoft Bing. In both versions you can create to-do lists and get reminders about birthdays and anniversaries for individuals in your tree.

Legacy helps you along to make sure your records are thorough, and it even suggests possible sources to help fill in the gaps. The list notes what information is available online, and it gives you the option to email sources, too. I like the guidance here, which is particularly helpful for beginners. You can attach pictures and sounds files to all individuals.

Note, however, that not of this information is directly integrated into the interface the way it is with Ancestry, which lets you add all sorts of information to your family tree with just a click. If you find a match, you can copy and paste it into the relevant record, but it's not quite the same.

Multiple publications are available including descendant and ancestor reports, a pedigree chart and family books. The deluxe version enables you to create the wall charts popular among amateur genealogists, among other output options.

Getting help Legacy offers a number of ways to get help. You can purchase a 296-page user guide, view training videos and webinars and sign up for email lists and user groups. Pressing the F1 key will bring contextual help while navigating the software. There a troubleshooting section that outlines common issues that users experience. Support is also available via email or phone on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MST).

Legacy is more than meets the eye Legacy Family Tree 8.0 may not look like much, but behind its dated exterior is a full-featured research and family tree-building tool. It's also relatively easy to use and a lot of help is available should you hit a stumbling block. Casual users are better off with Web-based programs like our premium Editors' Choice Ancestry, our cheap Editors' Choice Archives, and our free Editors' Choice Mocavo, all of which offer a more-fun, more-modern interfaces and better integration with their sources. But among downloadable software, Legacy is one of the better options.

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About the Author

Molly K. McLaughlin is a New York-based writer and editor with more than a decade of experience covering technology. She has tested and reviewed all sorts of software, mobile apps, and gadgets. Before launching her freelance business, she was an editor at PC Magazine, covering consumer electronics, followed by a stint at ConsumerSearch.com, a revie... See Full Bio

Legacy Family Tree 8.0

Legacy Family Tree 8.0

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